Fw: [CMEP] Nuke Regulators Threaten to Contaminate America's Recycling Stream

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----- Original Message -----

From: " ph Malherek " <jmalherek@...>

<CMEP@...>

Sent: Friday, February 28, 2003 12:19 PM

Subject: [CMEP] Nuke Regulators Threaten to Contaminate America's Recycling

Stream

*** Apologies for cross posting ***

*** P R E S S R E L E A S E ***

From Public Citizen and the Nuclear Information and Resource Service

(NIRS)

For Immediate Release: Feb. 28, 2003

Contact: ph Malherek (202) 454-5109

a Hartman (202) 454-5174

tte (202) 328-0002 x 12

Nuclear Regulators Threaten to Contaminate America's Recycling Stream

Federal Agency Must Consider Opposition of More Than 100 Organizations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) today made

clear its determination to permit forced radiation exposures upon the

public. In today's Federal Register, the NRC published a notice of a

workshop and a request for comments on the scope of its proposed

rulemaking on " controlling the disposition of solid materials. " In so

doing, the NRC appears to be forging ahead to allow massive quantities

of nuclear wastes to be " released, " thus allowing them to go into

unlicensed landfills, incinerators and even consumer products.

More than 100 organizations in the United States and internationally

have stated their opposition to such practices, however, and have signed

on to a " Statement Opposing Radioactive 'Recycling' and Deregulation of

Nuclear Wastes. "

Nuclear waste materials are already being released without any

restrictions, on a " case-by-case " basis. A National Academies report

from last year, entitled " The Disposition Dilemma: Controlling the

Release of Solid Materials from Nuclear Regulatory Commission-Licensed

Facilities, " stated that wastes from nuclear reactors " are being

released on a daily basis. " But, disturbingly, the report verified that

" [t]he amount of these materials is not known because there is no

requirement to document the materials released. "

" The NRC's proposed rulemaking is being conducted merely to accommodate

the nuclear industry, which would like to make the 'release' of nuclear

trash easier, cheaper and more clearly legal than it is currently, " said

Wenonah Hauter, director of Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy and

Environment Program. " These materials, which are not labeled or tracked

in any way, could end up in any variety of products, from bicycles and

toys to cookware and bedsprings. The NRC needs to make the protection

of public health and safety its top priority, not saving money for the

nuclear industry at the public's expense. "

The nuclear industry and government regulators have been pushing for a

way to fully deregulate radioactive waste for decades. A previous

method, by which certain wastes were designated as " below regulatory

concern " was banned by Congress in 1992 in response to pressure from

state and local governments and citizen, consumer, and industry groups.

According to a National Academies report issued last year, the total

cost to dispose of all slightly radioactive solid material — metal and

concrete — from U.S. power reactors under the no-release option is

estimated at between $4.5 billion and $11.7 billion. The report went on

to add that " clearance of all this material could allow the option of

recycle or reuse … and would avoid essentially all disposal costs. "

The NRC seems to be ignoring recommendations from this report,

originally commissioned by the NRC itself. The report stated that a

" legacy of distrust " had developed between the NRC and the public, and

that " road stakeholder involvement and participation in the USNRC's

decision-making process … is critical as the USNRC moves forward. "

Today's announcement includes no schedule for any public hearings,

except one two-day workshop (May 21 and 22), scheduled in the daytime,

during the work week in the Washington, D.C., area.

" The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is back again trying to

legalize putting nuclear power and weapons waste into our belt buckles,

baby toys and frying pans. The public response is still 'NO! We won't

take it!' and NRC knows it, so they are avoiding public hearings so the

public won't find out, " said Diane D'Arrigo, radioactive waste project

director of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS).

Among the supplementary information accompanying today's announcement,

the NRC claims that one of the alternatives being considered for the

wastes is that of " no release " —wherein radioactive wastes could only

be placed in licensed facilities, not " released " into standard

landfills, incinerated, or " recycled. " The NRC Commission Voting Record

of Oct. 25, 2002, however, indicates that this option is not likely to

be selected or fully evaluated. NRC Chairman Meserve advised

that in dealing with this issue " it would not be appropriate to mask the

Commission's continuing support for the release of solid material …. "

" The NRC is fully empowered to completely ban these absurd release and

'recycling' practices, " said Ritter, policy analyst for Public

Citizen's Critical Mass Energy and Environment Program. " The fact that

they are moving forward with this process only confirms that they think

forcing multiple radiation exposures upon an unconsenting public is

worthy of consideration. Sadly, they must be told again that it is

not. "

To read the group statement, please go to

http://www.citizen.org/cmep/energy_enviro_nuclear/nuclear_waste/low-level/re

cycling/articles.cfm?ID=8417.

To read today's Federal Register, please go to:

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov

/2003/03-4752.htm

Public comments will be accepted until June 30, 2003. Public Citizen

plans to submit comments soon.

###

Public Citizen is a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization.

For more information, please visit www.citizen.org.

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